


A Meeting By Chance

by DITaran



Category: Black Sails
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-26
Updated: 2017-04-26
Packaged: 2018-10-24 06:31:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10736088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DITaran/pseuds/DITaran
Summary: There are three things a man needs on the high seas: a ship, a crew, and an awful lot of luck. Having just left London with Lady Hamilton, James McGraw finds himself in need of something to busy himself with. A meeting in the tavern of Mr Guthrie might set his future onto the right course.





	A Meeting By Chance

INT. GUTHRIE TAVERN – NIGHT

Chatter fills the tavern of the Guthrie’s. Drunken men stagger between tables. They order more drinks, sleep on the tables, or stare into space.

Unnoticed, a man – FLINT – enters. He strides over to the counter. Flint takes in the scene inside the tavern. Without looking at the bartender he orders rum. When the rum is served, he empties the cup in in one draft. Beside him a smaller man – GATES – chuckles.

                        GATES  
              That bad?

Flint is not in the mood for conversation.

                        GATES (CONT’D)  
              Had I seen you on the Walrus I’d  
              understand. Yet here you stand  
              looking like you spent too much  
              time in that goddamn weather out  
              there.

                        FLINT  
              No offense, _sir_ , but I’d prefer  
              to be left in peace.

                        GATES  
                   (scoffs)  
              I’m no ‘sir’. Gates, Hal Gates,  
              quartermaster of the Walrus.

Gates offers his hand to shake. Flint considers not taking it, but looking around the tavern he realises that to achieve his goals he will need help, a crew, and a ship.

                        FLINT  
              Flint.

Gates orders another round of drink for them. He steers Flint away from the counter to a quieter corner of the tavern.

                        GATES  
              New to Nassau?

Flint reacts non-committal without saying a word. He nurses his drink.

                        GATES  
              You’re a sailor.

                        FLINT  
                   (bitter)  
              Not anymore. I was... relieved  
              of my command.

                   GATES  
              Your crew voted you out?

Flint looks at him in incomprehension.

                        FLINT  
              No.

He lets his gaze wander around the tavern.

                        FLINT (CONT’D)  
              The His Majesty’s Navy decided  
              they’d be better off without me  
              as lieutenant.

                        GATES  
              And you came to Nassau of all  
              places?

                        FLINT  
              I was here. Three month ago as officer.

Gates is not sure what to think about Flint.

                        GATES  
              You should know, Flint, that in  
              Nassau there are only sinners,  
              skilled sailors are rare, and profits  
              are better than on any merchant ship.

                        FLINT  
              Are... you trying to recruit me?

                        GATES  
                   (rueful)  
              Is it working?

Flint is amused.

                        FLINT  
              You called your ship Walrus, was it?

                        GATES  
              That she is. It’s a three-master.  
              Must’ve seen her in the bay.

                        FLINT  
              The one with the white skeleton holding an   
              hourglass and cutlass on the black.

                        GATES  
              That’s her. Now, my crew has just  
              voted the captain off the ship.  
              And it got ugly enough to say that  
              he won’t be coming back to reclaim  
              captaincy.

                        FLINT  
              What’s that got to do with me?

Gates takes in Flint fully. He leans closer in conspiracy.

                        GATES  
              Well, you’ve been deprived of a  
              ship. Have you not?

                        FLINT  
              I’m no pirate, Mr Gates.

                        GATES  
                   (chuckles)  
              No one is born a pirate. We’re  
               men who lost hope. You would  
              fit right in.

Flint puts down his drink.

                        FLINT  
              Even so. What makes you think  
              they would consider someone they  
              don’t know and who was part of their  
              enemy not so long ago as their captain?

                        GATES  
              I’m their quartermaster. I act in  
              the interest of the crew.

Flint moves closer in interest.

                        FLINT  
              What makes you think you can trust me?

                        GATES  
              The fact that you haven’t raised  
              the issue of payment once. And  
              finding you in a place such as this,  
              it tells me that you are desperate  
              to return to the sea.

                        FLINT  
              I’m aware how pirates operate.  
              But not of their workings as a crew.

                        GATES  
              For that, you have me.

                        FLINT  
              It was you who initiated to get rid  
              of your old captain.

                        GATES  
                   (smirks)  
              You’re sharp, Flint. You and I could  
              make quite some pieces of eight.

                        FLINT  
              You’ll get me on the Walrus?

Gates rises to his feet. Flints mirrors him. They shake hands.

                        GATES  
              Welcome aboard the Walrus,  
              Captain Flint.

    

**Author's Note:**

> "A Meeting By Chance" was written as an exercise for screenwriting. Despite the unusual format, I hope it was enjoyable. Please feel free to leave comments, emojis, whatever you fancy below.


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